Why You Should Watch Disney Descendants

If you followed me back in 2015 or if you happened to stumble upon it, you may have seen my post on Disney Descendants. With the sequel FINALLY being out, my love/obsession has started again and I wanted to talk about why I love it so much and why YOU should give it a chance too.

If you’re not familiar with Descendants, it’s a movie franchise in which all the Disney Villains were sent to the Isle of the Lost, where they’re pretty much prisoners. Their kids never got a chance to prove that they’re different than their parents, and only did what they had to do to survive, thus resorting to villainous ways. The first movie follows Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos, the children of Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella de Vill, who are invited to come to Auradon (where all the heroes live) for a ‘second’ chance (I mean they never got a first chance either since they’re being punished for their parents’ actions). This is all set up by Ben, the son of Belle and Adam. The four kids have to attend Auradon prep, where they meet many more kids of the good Disney characters.

So it’s basically fan fiction, except it’s from Disney and Dove Cameron, who plays Mal, said they told her it’s canon. So it’s like The Cursed Child except no one accepts that as canon

Why I love it and why you should give it a chance

Because I said so

💛 DIVERSE CAST! Out of the four original villain kids, only Mal is white. While Jay being the son of Jafar makes sense for him to not be white (or they’d be whitewashing), they didn’t have to cast Sofia Carson, who is Columbian-American, and Cameron Boyce, who’s half black. The Evil Queen is played by a Lebanese-American actress (though I’m a bit disappointed that she isn’t Columbian like Sofia, most movies would’ve gone with a white actress) and Cruella de Vill is black. In the sequel Uma, the daughter of Ursula, plays a big role (and it’s pretty obvious that she’ll return for the third movie), and is played by China Anne McClain who is black. Besides the main characters there is diversity among the supporting and background characters as well. Like Lonnie, the daughter of Mulan (who plays a bigger role in the sequel and just shines) and Audrey, the daughter of Aurora and Philip, is half-Mexican.

💛 FRIENDSHIP! Friendship between girls, friendship between boys, friendship between girls and boys – ALL THE FRIENDSHIP. Mal and Evie love each other so much, they have each others backs and would do anything for each other. They just want what’s best for each other and are never mean to each other. Sure, I ship them romantically (especially after that sequel y’all that was so gay) but I absolutely appreciate and love their friendship.

Jay and Carlos also have a positive relationship (okay I ship them romantically too but I have a lot of ships in this franchise okay), just having fun, supporting each other, having each other’s backs, believe in each other etc.
The four kids are best friends and would risk everything for each other. In the second movie Carlos calls it out that Mal and Evie always leave them and have their ‘girl talk’ and instead they all talk to each other and just mdfsdbg friendshipAnd the boys are also just supporting and caring towards the girls too they’re just one big happy family guys it’s beautiful

💛 BOYS SHOWING EMOTION. There are multiple moments where Jay and Carlos are not afraid to show that they’re upset and hurt. It breaks my heart but it also my makes me really happy because so many little boys watching Disney Channel can see that there’s nothing wrong with showing emotion

LOOK AT MY SON PROTECT HIM

💛 FEMINISM. There are lots of amazing female characters in these movies, who take the spotlight, kick ass, are smart and talented, support each other, lead pirate crews etc. One of my favourite moments is when Mal tells Evie that she doesn’t have to play dumb to get a guy and that’s she’s so smart. There are so many great rolemodels and important messages for young girls watching these movies and it makes me so happy

💛 THE SOUNDTRACK IS SO GOOD. Look, I loved the first movie’s soundtrack, but the sequel’s??? It’s so good?? Oh did I mention yet this is a musical franchise (directed by the one and only Kenny Ortega from High School Musical but it’s better than HSM please don’t hurt me) because it is and the songs are SO GOOD. AND THE CHOREOGRAPHY. JUST EVERYTHING. Also the sequel has it’s own Gotta Go My Own Way except it’s better because it’s between two girls (not to get your hopes up, they don’t end up together. Not in this one anyway. We can remain hopeful)

💛 IT’S FUN! I mean it takes place in one of my favourite universes, aka the Disney one. There are so many of my favourite characters, their children, references and everything. Also it’s a musical. Musicals are fun

💛 THE CHARACTERS DUH. Characters can make or break something for me, and I love all my children so much. The villain kids have been through so much, being abused by their parents and being prisoners for something they didn’t even do. They’re all broken but they’re still so pure?? Like they can keep saying ‘we’re rotten to the core’ but they ain’t fooling anyone.
Then there’s Ben who’s just a pure cinnamon roll who needs to protected at all costs and just does his best™, Lonnie aka the love of my life who’s just as kickass as her mom and I love how her arc in the sequel paralleled her mom’s story, Uma who has taken all these poor broken kids on the Isle under her wing and turned them into one awesome pirate crew and just wants her freedom and Harry Hook who’s so Extra™ I have no words I love him

Look at my Extra™ son

p r o t e c t h i m

l o o k a t h e r

a n d h e r

And so many others! Like Doug who never assumes anything about his relationship with Evie and just supports her? He’s just a pure boy? Also they could’ve easily made him whine about the friendzone in the first movie and how nice guys never get the girl but they didn’t. Oh and Gil who’s not even trying to pretend to be a villain??

And obviously I love the original four villain kids too, but I feel like I talk about them enough in the other points and I don’t want to repeat myself

💛 HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. Okay Audrey’s relationships aren’t exactly healthy, but they’re never written to be perceived that way or romanticised. The relationships that you’re supposed to be rooting for though? They are. Are they all straight? Um yeah it’s Disney Channel, and while a main character on Disney’s The Lodge came out and Andi Mack is definitely going there too, it still has a long way to go. Descendants 2 has been long in the works though, and by the time these two shows went there it was already finished, so maybe these shows paved the way for more LGBTQ+ rep in the third one? Fingers crossed (I mean with Space Between I really feel like Kenny Ortega wanted to go there and Harry Hook ain’t straight y’all)
ANWAY. The relationships we do have, are healthy, supporting, caring, they communicate, they don’t tear each other down… They’re good. There are also interracial relationships.

Also the cast is so sweet, funny, supportive of both each other and the fans and love all their characters’ ships, INCLUDING the same-sex ones unlike a certain other cast *cough Supergirl cough* Basically I love these movies and this cast to pieces and I want to spread the love so I hope I convinced some of you

Did you watch Descendants 2 yet? What do you think of it? Better than the first one? Who are your favourite characters and ships? Are you also listening to the soundtrack non-stop? Let me know in the comments!

21 thoughts on “Why You Should Watch Disney Descendants”

I haven’t seen the sequel yet (it’s on my list, though), but I found the first Descendants to be a wonderfully charming film. The main characters have a great chemistry. They really feel like they all fit together as a group. Also, the music is so well done. I have heard a couple of songs from Descendants 2 and already fell in love with them. So, I’m very much looking forward to seeing the second film, and I’m hoping they make a third. :)

Yeah they have no problem selling us how close they all are! The soundtrack is 👌🏻
The sequel is breaking records, so I’m sure there’ll be a third one! It’s just waiting for an official announcement now 😊

I love this post! They are truly all so precious and you already know how much I loved the movie and the soundtrack as well. Chillin’ like a villain still hasn’t left my head! Here’s to hoping there’s more LGBT+ rep in the upcoming installments. And hopefully more of our extra son Harry.

I haven’t watched Descendants yet, but GOSH YOUR POST MADE ME WANT TO DO THAT! I’m so so happy about the diversity because WE NEED MORE OF IT! (Though I didn’t know Cameron Boyce was half-black!) And yesss for friendship and feminism! Friendships are SO important in life and they don’t display it enough in books/movies. DUDE YESS BOYS SHOWING EMOTIONS!!! Society has made boys think that it’s “feminine” or “not masculine” to show emotions — but what the heck how are you human if you’re NOT showing emotions??? Anyways that was just a random rant on how mixed up society is, sorry! XD

YOU MUST WATCH IT MAY I LOVE THESE MOVIES SO MUCH!!!
Yesss romance is usually favoured instead of friendship and that’s just,,, no XD I love romance but friendship shouldn’t take a backseat because of it??
Hahaha never apologise for random rants about our mixed up society :P It’s horrible and unhealthy how society teaches boys that they shouldn’t show emotion so I’m always so happy when media shows the opposite!

How I have never heard of this?? *adds to list* As much as Yhe Cursed Child is hated, I do have to admit it makes me feel more valid in my fanfiction writing. Whenever I get that tingly doubt about what I’m spending so much time on, I remember his that’s, well, while not wholly liked, is still at least marginally accepted unlike most fanfic which is still derided.

Yess watch it! Haha while I loved the play as a play, I definitely understand the hate (I don’t see a lot of things that happen canon either). Glad to hear it’s good for something tho :P It’s like how you can use Fifty Shades to remind yourself that if that can get published, you can too, except for fanfic

I’m actually happy The Cursed Child exists for this very reason lol. Before all I had was FSOG to refer to, and I HATE the whole idea behind it. It makes me grumpy that it’s considered a paragon of romance/erotica *barf*

*screams*
*flails like an awkward seal*
OKAY CAN I JUST SAY THAT I LOVED DESCENDANTS, BUT AM SO MAD AT MYSELF FOR MISSING THE SEQUEL????????????

I heard about it last year, and I was hyped (because Descendants 1 was the shiz, you know??), BUT I MISSED IT CAUSE I WAS AWAY ON A TRIP + I got a new television service that DOESN’T HAVE DISNEY CHANNEL!!!!! And know I am even more anxious to watch it illegally or something.

AHHHH NO!!! I’m pretty sure you can watch it legally on the app though? Otherwise it is on streaming sites, so you can definitely watch it somehow!
Hope you can watch it soon because it was AMAZING watched it again last night haha

My daughters love the series. My wife and I on the other hand are less enthralled. I thought the first movie was decent enough for what it was (a low-budget Disney Channel TV movie) and some of the songs were solid and catchy. The sequel on the other hand, I can’t get in to at all.